


there are no secrets in these halls

by isloremipsumafterall



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Femslash February, femtropebingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-07
Updated: 2015-02-07
Packaged: 2018-03-10 21:20:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3303890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isloremipsumafterall/pseuds/isloremipsumafterall
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Morrigan is convinced her roommate is running some kind of spy net from their dorm room, Leliana will never tell and everyone else is wondering when the two of them will get their act together anyway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	there are no secrets in these halls

**Author's Note:**

> the world setting is pretty much modern dragon age with all the races still existing, except magic doesn't and all the wardens exist in some kind of incarnation, all spelling mistakes are mine as this is un-beta'd and first forage into the dragon age world for fic so apologies for any out of characterness.

Morrigan hates her new roommate.

Leliana’s often up far too early even after staying up way too late typing away at her computer or getting into the room late and waking Morrigan up with her attempt at laughing quietly, she goes to the Chantry every Sunday and insists on leaving her religious texts around where Morrigan can see them, she sings in the shower and Morrigan’s lost count of how many times she’s tripped over shoes.

Not even the same pairs of shoes, different ones every time it seems.

“They’re multiplying. Something must be done or I will be forced to take drastic measures.”

For someone so short Natia can still meet her eyes with ease and glare well enough. Obviously her floor assistant RA will be no help, as usual.

“Were you trying to trade me off again Morrigan?” Leliana asks once she steps back into the room, a smile on her face of pure amusement.

“Why whatever would give you that idea?” Feigning ignorance hasn’t worked out in the past and sure enough Leliana’s smile grew.

It was annoying how Leliana apparently just knew everything going on around them.

Without further comment Morrigan grabbed her bag so that she could trek down to the library for some peace, the last thing she saw before closing the door was Leliana waving goodbye to her.

~~

The second month they were there and four days before Bhelen, a popular student majoring in politics, was ousted for his plot to kill his brother once he joined the political party Morrigan saw Leliana whispering with his sister Sereda.

She might not have thought much of it except by the way Leliana’s eyes lit up and how busy she was during that time, up all night on her computer.

The news broke on Nightingale, a website that had popped up one night their first week on campus, spilling tiny secrets that caused whispers throughout the dorm.

Staring at Leliana across the breakfast table that morning all she was greeted to was that blasted cheery smile.

“Is something wrong Morrigan?” Leliana asked, eyes too wide with what Morrigan could only think of must be false concern.

“‘Tis nothing.” She lied.

“If you insist.” Something in Leliana’s eyes flashed and Morrigan had a feeling the red head knew exactly what she was thinking.

And for the first time since she met her roommate she was thinking that there might be something more under that cheery façade.

~~

Zevran is the most annoying creature on the earth, second only to Alistair but at least Alistair doesn’t barge into their room at random intervals.

Partially because Morrigan’s convinced him she’ll turn him into a frog.

“Are we home to vagrants now? Shall I set a sign at the front welcoming all strangers?” She says with frown when she walks in to see the elf lounging on Leliana’s bed.

“You know Morrigan, you have wonderful eyes. Quite marvellous in fact.” Zevran’s silver tongue has gotten him out of many assignments and in to a great many pants.

“Away with you. I haven’t the time for this.”

“I merely wish to express my reverence for them.”

Her lips press together and her eyes narrow and perhaps Zevran does have a sense of survival after all because he’s certainly quick to get up after that.

“You are a goddess among women. The both of you.” He says with a wink as he leaves.

This is all Daylen’s fault, he’s the one who insists that Zevran and Alistair are needed in their study group. Not that they get any studying done. Morrigan would take Sten any day because at least the Qunari doesn’t fill the hours with inane babbling.

With an exasperated sigh she collapses on her bed and has the strange feeling of eyes on her. Sure enough when she looks over Leliana is looking at her curiously.

“What?” She snaps.

“He is right. Your eyes are very pretty.” Leliana says and then turns away.

If there’s a flush on her face it’s merely from anger, nothing else.

~~

Leliana’s eyes are blue, something Morrigan is astutely aware of with the smaller woman pressed up against her as they make their way back to the dorm.

“Must you have chosen to try to drink with Oghren?” Morrigan mutters.

Wynne called her when their nightly RA found Leliana in the bar and Morrigan can’t say why she chose to get Leliana, plenty of other people would have gladly picked up the red head, but here she was regardless.

Leliana giggles, light and happy despite her stumbling on a rock and making Morrigan’s arm around her waist tighten.

“I am tempted to leave you here on the ground just so you can learn your lesson.”

“I learned so much.” Leliana nods, drawing herself closer to Morrigan and dropping her voice in a whisper. “Branka is not the paragon she appears to be.”

“I suppose this shall make the front page soon.”

“Front page of what?”

“Do no play innocent with me, I know your secrets.”

She catches Leliana’s smile, much more bitter this time than Morrigan is accustomed to.

“No one knows all my secrets.”

Silence falls over them as they make their way back.

When Morrigan struggles to open the door and not drop Leliana at the same time somehow she presses closer, hot air hitting Morrigan’s neck as Leliana is seemingly nuzzling at it.

“Cease and desist.” Morrigan mutters yet doesn’t pull away.

“No, you are comfortable.”

“I thought I was too bony to be comfortable.” She’s quoting what Alistair has said about her, with a mouthful of food and a nervous laugh afterwards.

Leliana scoffs, “Nonsense, you’re just enough.”

“Enough? How kind. I shall have that engraved on my tombstone. ‘Here lies Morrigan, she was enough’.”

“That isn’t what I meant.” With Leliana presses this close she can feel the frown from the other woman against her skin, her key is out and yet the door remains locked as they stand there. “You look ethereal, otherworldly and in so many ways untouchable. Are you certain you aren’t a witch?”

“One shall never know shall they?”

“Even _I_ don’t know what you’re majoring in.” Leliana pulls away, puzzled.

Morrigan smiles, sharp yet amused because having one upped Leliana in a secret is indeed an achievement.

She finally opens the door, dragging them both inside and letting Leliana drop on to the bed, not bothering to help her any more, she’s done her good deed of the year as far as she’s concerned now.

“I meant it you know.” Leliana calls out when Morrigan steps away to slip her shoes of and prepare for bed. “You are very beautiful.

“I am aware.” It’s still flattering to hear it from Leliana, Morrigan’s certainly heard compliments about the Orlesian as she walks through the courtyard, of how Leliana has such a sweet face and it is undeniable though Morrigan knows there’s something underneath now.

Though she has heard that Varric has started suspecting her too and she knows Zevran and that woman, Josephine, in Leliana’s diplomatic class is in on it.

“We should go shopping.” Leliana follows with. “You’d look so pretty in a deep red, oh with gold embroidery, and the perfect kind of shoes to match. Oh but the dress ought to be low cut to show off your…assets.”

Morrigan pauses as she slips off her tank top; she is by no means embarrassed to be in such a state of undress, a benefit to the uncaring attitude pressed on her by her adopted mother, but Leliana staring at her with bright eyes and taking in her every movement gives her enough reason to freeze for just a moment.

It looks an awful lot like want.

“Stop staring.” She snaps, resorting to anger because elsewise she’ll flounder on how to feel about that.

“Apologies.” Leliana mumbles, except then goes right on to talk about the places they could go.

Morrigan sets her mind to ignoring her for the rest of the night.

~~

The next morning is Sunday and therefore Leliana wakes up far too early, a grimace on her face from last night’s drinking.

When Cassandra knocks on the door to pick Leliana up for their weekly trip to the Chantry for a moment Morrigan is almost sure she’ll refuse to go before the red head puts on a bright smile and asks Cassandra to wait a moment.

“I heard you brought her back to your rooms last night.” There’s a slight smile on Cassandra’s face. “How kind of you.”

Morrigan shrugs. “‘Tis what was needed. I couldn’t have her banging on the door so early in the morning and waking me.”

“Hm.” Cassandra tilts her head and Morrigan narrows her eyes because it seems like Cassandra knows something she doesn’t.

“All ready.” Leliana comes back into the room from the shared washroom in their tiny dorm area. “Shall we?”

Right before she walks out however Leliana stops, glancing over at Morrigan. “Thank you for last night.”

“I am free today after lunch.” Morrigan responds suddenly because the strange shifting on her feet from Leliana was annoying her, the uncertainty something she is unused to seeing on the other woman and can’t say it pleases her as much as she thought it would have months ago.

“I’m sorry?”

“Shopping. You…wished to go.” Saying it is as awkward as it sounds.

“Oh.” Leliana blinks. “ _Oh!_ How wonderful! I’ll be back quickly then.”

“Take your time, it is of no concern of mine.” Morrigan says but it lacks her usual venom but Leliana’s too busy nodding her head absently to notice.

~~

Leliana stands a bit too close that afternoon when they’re out at the mall, hips brushing against Morrigan’s as she drags her to another shop.

It’s been an exhausting afternoon for Morrigan, too many people and this is why she should have never left her mother’s home to begin with but Leliana is practically bursting with energy.

When they take a break at the mall cafeteria Morrigan pretends not to notice that Leliana has angled them at the table where she can see Morrigan and be listening in to the conversation behind them where Anders and Fenris are arguing something loudly as Hawke groans.

“Everyone knows that you’re running it.” She says, taking a sip of her water.

“Running what?” Leliana’s blue eyes are even brighter in the light of day, it’s distracting.

“You still insist on maintaining this façade?”

By the innocent look on Leliana’s face she knows it’s true and chooses to give up the line of questioning.

Just as they’re leaving the mall Leliana stops, quickly walking over to the pet store window where the owner has just put out some nugs.

“No. You can pout like a child all you like.” Morrigan tells her when Leliana glances her way, a pleading look on her face. “But absolutely not.”

Wynne would have a conniption fit if she found out the two of them were smuggling a nug into their room, Morrigan nearly does when Leliana insists they call it ‘Schmooples’.

~~

“A little birdie told me you went shopping with Leliana.”

“Really? Did it also tell you to think before you speak or was that too much to hope for?”

Alistair makes a face at her, huffing, much like he did when they first met and he asked her her major only to get back the response of ‘witchcraft’.

In front of them another student is scrolling through the Nightingale website, the latest tidbit of information being something on Branka and Morrigan hides a small smile behind her hand, head shaking just a bit.

“Was that a smile?”

“Merely a figment of your poor imagination.”

“You know.” Alistair says after a minute, “She smiles around you too.”

“I haven’t the faintest idea whatever you mean. Perhaps ‘tis best if you save the ideas for those that can have them.”

Alistair glares at her and she walks away with her heart feeling light in her chest, back to her room where Leliana is surely digging up the latest information on some unsuspecting victim.

~~

Josephine is Cassandra’s roommate, like Leliana she smiles at everyone but also like Leliana after you get to know her there’s almost something ruthless about her, just in a different way.

She’s also Leliana’s best friend.

“You wish to what?” Morrigan stares at the Antivan.

“Trade rooms with you.” Josephine states again with a smile, hands clasped in front of her. “I heard you asking Natia just the other week you wished to.”

Morrigan blinks because to be completely fair she hasn’t gone to Natia since the second month of her being her.

All that time ago she might have accepted Josephine’s offer, gladly preferring Cassandra as a roommate and now she hesitates still.

Except that it isn’t that she wants to leave that’s making her hesitate, she’s been enjoying Leliana’s company seeing, watching the red head tear the college to pieces with her news has been an entertainment and more than that Leliana has been her…friend; no what makes her hesitate is the sudden bitter idea that Leliana would enjoy Josephine’s company more than hers.

She isn’t blind to the whispers that the two are in a relationship, they practically sit in each other’s laps in the quad.

Every time she hears those whispers it makes her feel much like she does now, stomach churning and nails digging crescents into her palm when she involuntarily makes a fists.

“You are…” She begins and struggles with what she’ll say next.

_Mistaken? Welcome?_

Josephine watches her with a smirk.

“Never mind, I rescind my offer, apologies but I can see that I was wrong.” As Josephine turns to go she pauses and looks back, “Leliana does in fact love shoes and secrets but her faith is important to her too, as are you I suspect.”

Leliana finds her later that day lying on her bed trying to puzzle out what Josephine meant.

“Are you all right?” She hovers over Morrigan, blocking out anything else from view.

“Fine.” Morrigan bites back, sitting up and forcing Leliana to take a step back least they be too close to each other, she finds she misses the closeness when Leliana does. “Are you not supposed to be in class?”

Leliana shrugs, “Dorian told me you didn’t show up for your class so I came to see if you were all right.”

Josephine’s words come back to her and Morrigan can feel an unexpected rise of heat in her cheeks with the pressing idea that there’s a truth to them.

Leliana tilts her head and hums. “Josephine came to find me too.”

“Oh?”

“She said she offered to rooms with you.”

“That she did.”

Blue eyes peek at her from under fair eyelashes, a strand of hair falling over them that Leliana can never seem to keep in place. “She also said you hesitated.”

“I…yes. Should I not have? Should I have taken the offer and drawn myself away from you?” Sarcasm has always been her fall back and she could go on and on but Leliana’s hand drops to wrist.

“Of course not! I would miss you.”

Morrigan raises an eyebrow. “We would be in the same dorm.”

“It wouldn’t be the same though. Besides,” Leliana leans in close, “Who would help me take care of Schmooples?”

At that Morrigan rolls her eyes because once the creatures name is called it comes bolting out from under Leliana’s bed and the other woman picks it up to cuddle it, holding it in front of Morrigan with a smile.

“I suspect your spy net would.” Morrigan finally deigns to say.

“What spy net?”

“One of these days I will tire of this.” She warns.

There’s a flash of victory in Leliana’s eyes, smile sharper than before and then gone just as quickly.

“You don’t fool me.” She tells Leliana. “And keep the blasted creature on your side of the room.”

~~

Of all of Zevran’s friends Isabela is possibly Morrigan’s least favourite to deal with.

“How are you not sleeping with her darling?” Isabela asks when she catches Morrigan in the quad, looking at Leliana as she talks to Bull.

“I struggle to see how this is any of your business.”

“But I have so much advice to offer.” Isabela grins. “And my own services of course should you want another body.”

“Begone.” Morrigan snaps.

“Touchy.” Isabela holds her hands up. “Zevran was right you _are_ possessive. I suppose I’ll have to pay him that sovereign after all.”

Isabela saunters off with a deliberate tilt in her hips and Morrigan cannot deny the relief she feels when Leliana looks her way and smiles instead of following Isabela with her eyes as most are now.

~~

When news breaks of Loghain compiling a strike against Dean Maric classes are temporarily cancelled as everyone deals with the fallout.

Leliana lies on their floor, giggling with glee as she plays with Schmooples.

“Proud of yourself I see.”

“Just happy to have a break.” The corners of Leliana’s eyes crinkle when she looks up at Morrigan but her gaze falls quickly on Leliana’s mouth before daring back up again. “Aren’t you?”

“Quite.” Morrigan says dryly. “As is everyone who is aware this is your doing.”

“Ah but can they prove it.” It’s the closest thing Morrigan assumes she’ll get to a confession at this point.

The strap on the dress Leliana’s wearing slips down when Schmooples nudges her side and Morrigan’s eyes follow its descent, lingering where they shouldn’t.

“Morrigan.” Leliana says and she tears her eyes away.

“What?”

“I know your secret.” Leliana’s lips quiver with a smile, she rocks herself forward and onto her knees, Schmooples darting under the bed.

“Oh? What secret would that be?”

Leliana inches closer until she’s practically sitting in the space between Morrigan’s legs, her hands falling on Morrigan’s side and she leans up, warm air gusting across Morrigan’s face.

“You like me.”

“Assuredly not.” Morrigan denies, her breathing catching only a little when Leliana’s hands trail upwards.

“I like you too.” She can see her reflection in Leliana’s eyes the other woman is so close.

She scoffs at the words, denial quick on her tongue but she gets cut off.

“You can be cruel and callous but you are wise and clever and funny when you don’t mean to be.”

She levels a glare at Leliana for the last part.

“You are also very beautiful.” Leliana means it, the sincerity in her voice can’t be denied.

“You are…” Morrigan raises a hand to brush back the strand of hair that insistently falls from Leliana’s face. “Quite beautiful as well.”

She see blue eyes light up and a smile right before Leliana reaches up to close the distance between them and she tastes like cookies that Sten baked and Zevran stole for them in celebration and she smells like the white flowers that grow in the quad below.

It’s not unpleasant, just the opposite in fact, and fingers dig into the meat of Morrigan’s thighs, making marks that no one else will see and there’s a thrill of victory that makes her shudder into Leliana’s mouth at the idea of making her own marks on Leliana.

They’re pushing and pulling in earnest and somehow end up on the floor which goes well with Morrigan’s hand snaking under Leliana’s shirt until she hears a squeak by her ear and looks over to see Schmooples staring at them.

“He has to go.”

Leliana pouts.

“He has to go or we will not go any further.” Morrigan tells her and Leliana heaves a sigh and stands, whistling for Schmooples to follow her.

“There, he’s with Josephine tonight, we can work on how to deal with him in our room later.” Leliana slams the door shut. “Now where were we? Oh yes!”

Weight slams into her again and there’s more enthusiastic kissing and Morrigan would be lying is she said she couldn’t get used to this.

~~

Leliana is still annoying, she still insists she’s not running a spy net of some sort, still leaves religious texts out for Morrigan to see and still sings in the shower far too early in the morning no matter how pretty her voice is.

“Cease and desist.” Morrigan snaps loud enough for Leliana to hear.

“Come in here and have me put my mouth to better use than.” Leliana calls back with a smugness in her voice.

She only does it because the idea has merit and is enticing, it has nothing to do with the lazy kisses that will be shared in the afterglow, just a tempting thought that drives her.

Even she knows she cannot keep that secret forever; but she is also certain that Leliana already knows.


End file.
